Outdoor activities such as hiking, rock climbing and mountaineering, especially in the wintertime wherein surfaces are likely to become ice covered and extremely hazardous, present a significant problem to the safety of the participant. In order to negotiate such conditions, a removable crampon is used, which when attached to the base of the shoe, provides enhanced traction.
Previous crampon devices incorporate a number of teeth aligned in a substantially linear manner along the perimeter of the shoe sole. However, it is foreseeable, and to some mountaineers desirable to climb steeper pitches of terrain, to include vertical cliff formations, it is therefore also critical to maintain traction. Previous crampons, having the majority of teeth aligned in a colinear fashion will exhibit a "skating" effect on the ice surface as a result of the colinear alignment of the teeth. The skating effect, occurs primarily when either the toe or heel of the boot is facing down the slope of the terrain.
However, as more vertical terrain is encountered, the body becomes more contorted when attempting to maintain downward facing teeth in "12 point" contact with the ice surface. Consequently a "front pointing" technique utilizing picks protrude from the front of the crampon has been developed, enabling the wearer, with the use of one or two hand held ice axes, to step up the ice wall as one would climb a ladder. However, such picks are typically permanently affixed to the crampons, inhibiting the stride of the wearer when walking with the teeth contacting the flat surface, in the "12 point" technique. Furthermore, should any pick become broken, worn, or bent for any reason, the usefulness and safety of the crampon is compromised.